4th Sunday in Lent: A DIVINE WAKE-UP CALL

Ephesians 5:6-14

Breaking again into the Lenten Season, comes the glories of Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus.  It is glorious because it shines the Light of Jesus on the issues of a broken and hurting world.  The light shines brightly and truthfully, in a world where people seem to love darkness more than light and where falsehood seems to find a way in the ebb and flow of things (see John 3:19).

Every Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the fact that He is Lord of lords and King of kings.  Death could not hold Him.  Our sins had no ultimate authority over Him.  Darkness was overwhelmed by His Light.  Destructive reality was overcome by the Life-giving reality of the Messiah.  When life had thrown its worst at Jesus, He took the blow and rose up from the grave.  As the old song says, 

Death cannot keep its prey,  Jesus my Savior; 

he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!   

Up from the grave He arose.

                                               (Robert Lowry, 1874)

Because our Messiah is Lord of lords and King of kings, having revealed His character in the Resurrection, we are a resurrection people.  Jesus defines us.  Jesus lifts us up to live in powerful ways we could not imagine if left to ourselves.  It’s not as if we will not have problems in the world; we will.  It is, however, that Jesus has overcome the world.  We overcome in His overcoming.  

As we walk through the Lenten Season, don’t get lost on the journey. The journey has a destination – the Resurrection of Jesus.  Yet, on the journey, let’s reflect, and search our hearts, and clean out any cobwebs we might have hanging around in our lives.  Remember the humble and transparent and open heart of the prayer of the psalmist in Psalm 139:23-24?  It might be a good day to pray it for ourselves again,

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life. (MSG)

We are able to pray this kind of prayer because of what Jesus provides us in His death and resurrection.  Let’s not diminish the work of Jesus, but draw near to God and seek to be humble, transparent, and open to what God seeks to do in our lives.